Retired Veterinarian Builds Custom Wheelchairs For Disabled Pets

June 17, 2020

They say that when you do what you love, you don’t work a day in your life. And while that is very true, when what you do helps to benefit others, it makes it even more rewarding.

One man spent his entire life dedicated to his veterinary practice and improving the lives of countless animals. And this man did a lot for the disabled animals of the world, as he was the founder of K-9 Carts.

90-year-old Dr. Lincoln Parkes retired from his veterinarian practice, however, he didn’t let his retirement keep him from helping animals. Each morning of his retirement, he’d wake up early in order to spend between 8-10 hours per day, building custom-built wheelchairs so that disabled animals could walk again.

Dr. Parkes began his legacy 50 years prior.

Before his retirement, he was a veterinary orthopedic surgeon and the one who designed K-9 Carts, making sure that the lightweight carts could allow for a good range of motion to move about, as well as comfortably use the bathroom while in the cart. As a result, his work on his patented wheelchair design went on to help thousands of animals walk again.

It was first designed in 1960, but in the ensuing years, the designs continued to evolve. Dr. Parkes first began his custom carts after designing them for Dachshunds. The reason was Dachshunds and Corgis are two breeds that often end up suffering from Degenerative Myelopathy – a very progressive disease that affects the spinal cord. While he started off designing carts for Dachshunds, his carts evolved to accommodate dogs of any breed and size.

As a result, he was able to help animals with disabilities that ranged from disk diseases, birth defects, as well as other orthopedic injuries. And it wasn’t just dogs or cats that Dr. Parkes’ carts were able to help, the vet even built custom wheelchairs for other animals, anything from rabbits to pigs. Besides the wheelchairs, Dr. Parkes also had custom slings and boots that are able to help animals as well.

As the good vet shared with NowThis Morning, “When I saw a dog smile, and when it took off after being carried around, I was convinced I was doing something good.”

And Dr. Parkes was never motivated by money, but rather the ability to help animals and see the rewarding expression of happiness as they experienced the ability to freely move around again.

He said, “Animals, they like their freedom, just like people.”

One of the dogs that Dr. Parkes had managed to help, was a pug named, Big Pug. Big Pug’s owner posted on Facebook, “Just letting you know I received the cart for Big Pug yesterday and he loves it. Had him zooming all over the place with it. Thank you for doing such a great job. Here is a picture of him smiling with his new wheels. Thanks again.”